and senator graham and i, and senator lieberman, there are 59 votes in the united states senate, spend our time trying prevent that 60th. thank god for senator lieberman. i think history has always made a decision about the surge, sir. and you're on the wrong side of it. and your refusal to answer whether you're right or wrong about it is going to have an impact on my judgment as to whether to vote for your confirmation or not. i hope you will reconsider the fact that you refuse to answer a fundamental question about the issue that took the lives of thousands of young americans. >> well, senator, there was more to it than just flooding -- >> i'm asking about the surge, senator hagel. >> i know you are, and i'm trying to explain my position. the beginning of the surge also factored in what general allen had put into place in anbar province. the sunni awakening. we put in over 100,000 -- >> senator hagel. i'm aware of the surge and the anbar awakening. and i'm also aware that any casual observer will know that the surge was the fund mental factor led by two great leaders, general petraeu